Acupuncture

Traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture has its roots about 4,500 years ago with people who lived on the Great Plain in China. They suffered from fevers, chills, arthritis, and other diseases because of the harsh climate, and in response, developed an intuitive system of "fingertip healing" consisting of massage (acupressure) and other forms of stimulation of specific areas (called meridians) of concentrated life force on the body. (An ancient Chinese meridian chart is shown at the left.) The early Chinese also developed moxibustion, the burning of herbs at these vital points, and started inserting stone needles in the points to stimulate them. The first written medical account of acupuncture was in the Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine which dates from about 300 BC.

According to traditional Chinese medicine,  the vital force in all living things is called "Chi." Chi runs through the body along fourteen pathways or meridians and "dis-ease" causes a blockage and produces imbalance in health. The object of acupuncture is to restore the normal flow of Chi and so restore balance and harmony to the human system. Chi consists of two opposite qualities called Yin and Yang, and when these become unbalanced, illness may result. By stimulating the channels of energy, an acupuncturist can stimulate the body's own healing response and help restore its natural balance. The flow of Chi in the body can be disturbed by a number of factors, including emotional states such as anxiety, stress, anger, fear or grief, poor nutrition, weather conditions, hereditary factors, infections, poisons and trauma. The principal aim of acupuncture in treating the whole person is to recover the equilibrium between the physical, emotional, and spiritual aspects of the individual.

Today, practitioners use silver needles, heat, pressure, message, friction, suction, and impulses of electromagnetic energy to stimulate the acupoints. Acupuncture is a very effective, natural and increasingly popular form of health care that is being used by people from a wide range of cultural and social backgrounds. The discipline takes a holistic approach to understanding normal function and disease processes and focuses as much on the prevention of illness as on the treatment.
 

Numerous modern studies have shown that acupuncture produces measurable physiological effects. Stimulation of the acupoints sends impulses up the spinal cord to a relatively primitive part of the brain known as the limbic system, as well as to the midbrain and the pituitary gland. Somehow that signaling leads to the release of endorphins and monoamines, chemicals that block pain signals in the spinal chord and brain. Researchers using brain scans discovered that acupuncture altered blood circulation within the brain, increasing the blood flow to the thalamus, the area of the brain that relays pain and other sensory messages. In 1997, an advisory panel for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) evaluated hundreds of acupuncture studies and concluded that the therapy is an effective treatment for postoperative and dental pain, nausea induced by chemotherapy and pregnancy ("morning sickness"), and for use as  anesthesia during surgery. The NIH panel also called acupuncture a useful adjunct and acceptable treatment for a variety of conditions, including fibromyalgia, stroke rehabilitation, asthma, headache, and carpal tunnel syndrome.

Acupuncture is now known to treat a wide range of disorders including:

• Neurological conditions such as headaches, migraines, difficulty sleeping, nervous tension, stroke, some forms of deafness, facial and inter-costal neuralgia, trigeminal neuralgia, some forms of paralysis, complications of poliomyelitis, peripheral neuropathy, noises in the ears, dizziness, and Meniere's disease.
• Cardio-vascular disorders such as high or low blood pressure, fluid retention, chest pain, angina pectoris, poor circulation, cold hands and feet, and muscle cramps.
• Respiratory conditions such as bronchial asthma, acute and chronic bronchitis, acute tonsillitis, rhinitis, sinusitis, hay fever, chronic cough, laryngitis, sore throat, influenza and the common cold.
• Digestive system disorders such as toothache, post-extraction pain, gingivitis, mouth ulcers, hiccough, spasms of the esophagus, gastric and duodenal ulcers, gastric hyperacidity, gastritis, heartburn, hiatus hernia syndrome, flatulence, paralytic ileus, colitis, diarrhea, constipation, hemorrhoids, liver and gall bladder disorders, and weight control.
• Uro-genital disorders such as cystitis, prostatitis, orchitis, low sexual vitality, urinary retention, kidney disorders, nocturnal enuresis, and neurogenic bladder dysfunction.
• Gynecological and obstetric disorders such as premenstrual tension, painful, heavy or irregular, or the absence of periods, abnormal uterine bleeding or discharge, hormonal disturbances, disorders associated with menopause, prolapse of the uterus or bladder, difficulty with conception, and morning sickness.
• Skin conditions such as eczema, dermatitis, psoriasis, nerve rash, herpes zoster, acne, scar tissue and resultant adhesions, hair loss and dandruff.
• Eye conditions such as visual disorders, red, sore, itchy or watery eyes, conjunctivitis, simple cataracts, myopia in children, and central retinitis.
• Musculoskeletal disorders such as osteoarthritis, sciatica, lumbago, weak back, low back pain, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, tenosynovitis, shoulder and neck pain, cervicobrachial syndrome, "frozen shoulder", and "tennis elbow."
• Sporting injuries such as sprained ankles and knees, cartilage problems, corking and tearing of muscles, torn ligaments and bruises.
• Psychological conditions such as depression, phobias, emotional disturbances, anxiety, nervousness, overeating,  and addictions such as drugs and smoking.

HA330 Acupuncture 

This in-depth course in modern acupuncture is designed to prepare students to understand and apply the healing modality of meridian therapy. Detailed instruction on finding acupuncture points is provided, as well as in the techniques of acupoint stimulation, such as acupressure. The goal of acupuncture is to treat inflictions by directing the flow the life force in the body. The oversized hardbound textbook for this course is considered the most thorough book on this subject. It is Acupuncture, Meridian Theory and Acupuncture Points (shown at left) by Dr. Li Dong, the leading Chinese authority on acupuncture.  The course syllabus (shown at right below) covers every aspect of acupuncture and its applications in a straightforward and comprehensive manner. Also included are a dermographic marker and a laminated acupoint reference chart (shown below). 

The Certificate in Acupuncture is issued after passing a written examination. This is course is taught by correspondence only and is intended to provide training in the Healing Arts Department of Flamel College for people interested in learning how the life force is distributed along meridians in the body. Taking this course does not qualify you to practice acupuncture. You must pass a special exam and fulfill other requirements to be certified through your state or national licensing authority.

International students are welcome at Flamel College, and we currently have students in 26 countries. Foreign students please note: to receive your class materials by in a timely fashion, please choose the "Rush" option when paying your tuition. Credit for this class  is earned through correspondence study only. You submit exams and communicate with your instructor through email or regular mail. The course is available only in English.

To enroll in the Certification in Acupuncture course (HA330), click the button below to be taken to a secured form. Tuition: $155.

International Students

International students are welcome at Flamel College, and we currently have students in 26 countries. At the present time, all courses are in English. Please select your method of delivery during enrollment. To convert dollar amounts into your currency, click Universal Currency Converter.